


the ghost of you

by greyskiesblack



Series: promptioweek2017 [7]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, Reminiscing, World of Ruin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-21 09:51:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11355006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greyskiesblack/pseuds/greyskiesblack
Summary: Prompto keeps his photographs (and memories) in a box. Gladiolus catches him going through them.Written for Day 5 of Promptio week.





	the ghost of you

**Author's Note:**

> the prompt is "momento," because angst is my favourite thing  
> title is from the MCR song of the [same name](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCUpvTMis-Y) because i'm ~~an uncreative hack~~ lazy

Prompto’s sitting on the edge of the bed with dozens of photos spread out around him when the door opens.

He _hopes_ it’s Ignis. Ignis will go straight to his room. If Prompto is quiet enough, Ignis might not even realise he’s home.

But the footsteps are heavy and coming straight towards him. There’s no _time_ to shove everything away and out of sight. Prompto sets the photo he was looking at in his lap and rubs at his eyes.

“Prom-” Gladiolus’ voice cuts out.

“H-Hey.” Prompto doesn’t want to look up. Not when his eyes are all puffy and _red_ and-

Gladiolus takes a couple of steps and then stops. “Prom…”

Prompto hunches his shoulders. If he _says_ something then Gladiolus will just try to make him feel better. And there’s no way he can feel better. Not when he has to look at photos to remember the exact colour of his _best friend’s_ eyes. The way his hair fell messily over his cheeks.

Gladiolus takes another couple of slow steps towards the bed and crouches down in front of Prompto. He reaches for the photo in Prompto’s fingers and Prompto lets him have it. He tugs at the fraying knee of his pants.

“I remember this one,” Gladiolus says softly. He’s staring down at the photo and smiling. “Old Lestallum, right?” He glances up towards Prompto.

Prompto looks away and nods.

“He’d been complaining for _miles_ about how hungry he was.” Gladiolus strokes Noctis’ face with a finger. “And _you’d_ been complaining about wanting to take more photos. So Iggy made him sit for one before he could eat.”

“And then Noct complained about Iggy taking sides,” Prompto whispers. His throat hurts.

Gladiolus scoffs. “As if Iggy wasn’t always on Noct’s side.”

“Yeah.” Prompto looks down at his hands. If he keeps thinking about memories like this, he’s going to start crying. Again.

Gladiolus clears his throat and puts a gentle hand on Prompto’s knee. “Can I see the others?”

Prompto shrugs. “If you want,” he mumbles. It’s not like he can _stop_ Gladiolus. It’s his room too.

Gladiolus stands and carefully shifts some of the photos so he can sit next to Prompto. _Right_ next to. Prompto edges away.

Gladiolus puts an arm around Prompto’s shoulders. “Don’t,” he says softly.

Prompto hangs his head and fiddles with his bracelets. “Don’t what?”

“Run away.” Gladiolus squeezes Prompto’s shoulder. “It’s only me.”

Prompto chews at his bottom lip. “But you never talk about him.” His voice is raspy. “Or Iggy.”

“Because it’s hard to talk about.” Gladiolus takes Prompto’s hand in his and laces their fingers together. “You think we don’t miss him?”

Prompto shakes his head. “He’s coming back.” He _has_ to be.

“Yeah.” Gladiolus lets out a soft sigh. “Be nice if he hurried up, though.”

“Yeah.” Prompto sniffles.

Gladiolus presses Prompto closer and kisses his hair. “You want me to put the photos away?”

“No.” Prompto lifts his head. “I… I wasn’t done.” He rubs at his eyes again.

“Alright.” Gladiolus squeezes Prompto’s hand and then untangles their fingers. “We can look at them together.”

“You… You’re sure?” Prompto blinks.

“Yeah.” Gladiolus reaches over Prompto’s lap and picks a photo. “Like _this_ one.” He grins at it.

Prompto shifts. “It’s not _my_ fault,” he mutters under his breath. “The sun was really bright and-”

“It’s perfect, Prom.” Gladiolus slides his hand down Prompto’s arm. “Look at you both grinning like dorks.”

Prompto elbows Gladiolus’ arm. “ _You’re_ a dork,” he mumbles. “I’ve got a photo to prove it and everything.”

“Oh yeah?” Gladiolus kisses Prompto’s temple. “I don’t see it.”

Prompto huffs and squirms out of Gladiolus’ arm. “Because it’s still in the box.” He leans over the side of the bed and lifts it up.

“Jeez.” Gladiolus whistles under his breath. “I didn’t think you had _that_ many.”

Prompto starts flipping through them. “Noct said to take a lot.” He hunches his shoulders again. “So I took a lot.”

“I’m glad.” Gladiolus puts his arm back around Prompto’s shoulders. “Better than not having enough.”

Prompto blinks down at the photos. “It’s still not enough,” he whispers. He rubs at his eyes again. “I didn’t get _everything_ -”

“It’s enough.” Gladiolus presses Prompto closer. “Come on. I won’t believe you without proof.”

Prompto chews at his bottom lip. “Okay.” He starts flipping through the photos. Honestly, he’s got so many dorky photos of Gladiolus that he’s not sure which one he should use.

 

By the time Ignis gets home, their room is _covered_ in photos. Ignis leans against their doorway and turns his face towards them.

“What are you two laughing about?” He asks quietly.

Prompto wriggles out of Gladiolus’ arms and hops over the piles of photos. “We’re looking at pictures.” He puts a hand on Ignis’ arm. “Join us?”

Ignis puts his hand over Prompto’s. “It’s nice of you to offer, Prompto, but-”

“Iggy.” Gladiolus grumbles. “Come on.”

Ignis’ fingers tighten around Prompto’s. “I’m not going to be able to say no, am I?” He shakes his head slightly.

“Gladio said it makes it hurt less.” Prompto carefully slides some photos out of the way with his foot. “And I don’t mind describing them.”

“I see.” Ignis’ lips curl slightly. “Then I’ve no choice.”

Prompto carefully leads Ignis to the bed and gathers up some of the photos. “You can have the bed. I’ll sit on the floor.”

“You’re not gonna sit on the damn floor,” Gladiolus grumbles. “You can squeeze between me and Iggy.”

Prompto huffs. “But-”

Gladiolus frowns. “No buts.”

“ _Fine_ ,” Prompto sighs dramatically and scoops up the box. He wriggles between Ignis and Gladiolus with an extra huff for good measure. “Okay. We got to Lestallum, so…” He pulls out the next photo and snickers.

“What is it?” Ignis leans closer.

“It’s you.” Gladiolus snorts. “Making a dorky pose with Noct.”

“It’s not _dorky_ ,” Prompto protests. “You look like you’re having fun.”

Ignis nudges Prompto with his shoulder. “But what _is_ it?”

“Oh.” Prompto flushes. “You’re in the markets of Lestallum. Right by the vegetable stalls. And Noct is like, holding his hands up in front of him, and you’ve got your arm stuck straight out…”

“I think I remember,” Ignis says quietly. “It was evening, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Prompto nods. “The first night we arrived and it was _way_ too hot to sleep.”

“And to think, now we’re used to it.” Ignis _almost_ smiles.

“Well, it’s not as bad as it used to be,” Gladiolus grumbles. He presses closer to Prompto. “What about that one?”

Prompto pulls out the next photo. “It’s Noct trying one of those skewers.” He glances towards Ignis. “Remember? It had _vegetables_ and he didn’t notice at first.”

“And then he made a _ridiculous_ face.” Ignis _actually_ smiles. Prompto wishes his camera wasn’t gathering dust in the back of the closet. He’s not sure he’s seen Ignis smile since… _before_.

“I don’t get _why_ he was always so fussy,” Prompto mumbles. “Iggy’s vegetables are _amazing_.”

“Well.” Ignis shrugs. His arm brushes against Prompto’s. “He was always like that.”

“He was missing out.” Gladiolus leans over Prompto and pulls another photo out. “Oh, _this_ one.”

“Which one?” Ignis leans against Prompto’s arm.

Prompto feels kind of _squished_. Don’t they know how _tall_ they are?

“The one by the Lestallum lookout.” Gladiolus holds the photo out for Prompto to see. “The sky is  _really_ blue.” He pauses to grin and nudge Prompto’s shoulder. “Like your eyes.”

Prompto squirms. “Stop that,” he mumbles.

“Oh, I think I remember that one.” Ignis says softly. “Noct thought we should have a _serious_ photo and you and Gladio ruined it.”

“We didn’t _ruin_ it,” Gladiolus grumbles. “We made it better.”

“Yeah.” Prompto nods. “Noct has too many _stuffy_ photos anyway.”

Ignis smiles. “You’re not wrong. Can I pick one?”

“Sure.” Prompto guides Ignis’ hand to the box.

 

It’s _late_ by the time they’re all reminisced out. Prompto rubs at his eyes as Ignis and Gladiolus shuffle off the bed. They kept making him _cry_. Well. Not that he was the only one.

“Come on.” Ignis hooks an arm around Gladiolus’. “You can help me make dinner.”

“Do I _have_ to?” Gladiolus grumbles as he guides Ignis out of the room.

Prompto takes a deep breath as he looks at the mess of photos. Sure. Leave _him_ to clean. He sniffles and starts carefully packing the photographs away. It doesn’t matter if they get mixed up. He remembers every single one.

“Wish you were here, buddy.” Prompto touches Noctis’ face. The gloss is wearing off the photo, he’s done it so often. “It’s not the same without you.”

It’s one of the first photos Prompto took after leaving Insomnia, and Noctis’ smile is as bright as the sky behind him. Prompto sniffles and puts the photo back with the rest. Maybe he ought to dust off his camera and take some photos for when Noctis comes back. Maybe then it’d be like he never left at all.

“Prom!” Gladiolus calls from the kitchen. “Aren’t you done yet?”

“Almost!” Prompto calls back. He wipes at his eyes and gets to his feet. “I’ll be there in a jiffy!”

 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> yodepalma was all “hey why don’t you add a picture” so hey i added a picture. sorry if it’s kind of tacky, i’m not an artist and i had to rely on some free-to-try image program and LOOK I TRIED OKAY :(


End file.
